Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's singles

The men's singles tennis tournament at the 2012 Olympic Games in London was held at the All England Club in Wimbledon from 28 July to 5 August, making it the first Olympic grass court tournament since tennis was re-introduced to the Games.[1][2] The event was run and organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and is part of the Association of Tennis Professionals tour. Matches were the best of three sets, except for the final which was the best of five sets. Tie-breaks were in use for all sets except the fifth set of the final and the third set of all other matches.[3] There were 64 players from 34 nations.[4]

Men's singles
Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Champion	Andy Murray
Runner-up	Roger Federer
Final score	6–2, 6–1, 6–4

Men's singles tennis at the Games of the XXX Olympiad
John Isner (United States) and Roger Federer (Switzerland) warming up for their quarterfinal match on Centre Court.
Venue	All England Club, Wimbledon
Dates	28 July–5 August
Competitors	64 from 34 nations
Medalists
Andy Murray  Great Britain Roger Federer  Switzerland Juan Martín del Potro  Argentina

Rafael Nadal was the reigning gold medalist, having won the tournament at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing,[3] but withdrew on 19 July 2012 due to a recurring knee injury.[5] Prior to his withdrawal, Nadal was seen as the favourite to retain the gold medal, despite losing to Lukáš Rosol in the second round of the Wimbledon Championships a month earlier.[6]

The second-round match between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Milos Raonic on 31 July 2012 culminated in a record-setting 3 hours and 57 minutes and 66 total games with a third set ending at 25–23. This was the longest tennis match in Olympic history, in terms of games played, under the best of three sets system. In terms of time, it was, at that time, the longest best of three sets men's singles match in Olympic history.[7][8][9]

However, only three days later, this record was eclipsed by Roger Federer and Juan Martín del Potro on 3 August 2012 in a semifinal tie that lasted 4 hours 26 minutes, ending at 19–17. This was not only the longest singles tennis match in Olympic history played with the best of three format but also the longest such match in the Open era, surpassing the 4 hours 3 minutes in Nadal's victory over Novak Djokovic in the 2009 Madrid Masters.[10][11]

Great Britain's Andy Murray defeated Federer in the final, 6–2, 6–1, 6–4, to win the gold medal, reversing the defeat suffered to the same opponent on the same court four weeks previously in the men's singles final at Wimbledon. Federer was attempting to become just the third man to complete the career Golden Slam in singles, after Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal, as well as only the second (after Agassi) to complete a career Super Slam.[12][13] Del Potro, representing Argentina, took bronze courtesy of a 7–5, 6–4, victory over 2008 bronze medalist Djokovic.[14] Murray's gold was Great Britain's first victory (and first medal) in the men's singles since Major Ritchie won in 1908; it was the nation's fourth overall, surpassing the United States' three for most all-time. Federer's silver was Switzerland's first medal in the men's singles since Marc Rosset won gold in 1992. Del Potro's bronze was Argentina's first-ever medal in men's singles.